The most important feature in this debate, including the Singapore VR-Forums debate, is that access is more important in the 21st century economics. You don’t provide the access the people want, you drive the fandom underground. As Lessig commented, “we’re raising a generation of criminals” because the copyright laws have become absurd to the point that all of our activities become criminal.

I read with great ease with omo’s two articles about the anime industry grasping with the 21st century realities. It’s a step in right direction: unfortunately I did not input into the factors, the local Singaporean factors.

(The Remix book and Omo’s posts are inherently American in context.)

Articles like this and this (NB: the second link requires that you search inline for this ID: 336611. I’ll wait until the week expired so that I can link it to Asiaone website, which archives local newspapers’ articles) aggravates the point of driving anime watching underground.

I can only surmise to say that the increase figurine merchandises, as well as the success of anime fan subculture in Singapore, is largely due to “illegal downloading” of anime shows from Japan.

And this is what Lawrence Lessig fears: we are raising a generation of criminals because the law states so.